Making a difference in drug-free students’ lives this week, Cariloha Founder and Owner, Jeff Pedersen, along with his parents and siblings awarded 46 college scholarships at Utah’s East High School through the privately run David B. Pedersen Scholarship Foundation.
The David B. Pedersen Foundation began eight years ago, and it has since awarded nearly $200,000 in college scholarships. Jeff’s family (parents, Bob and Catherine, and brothers and sisters) created and organized this foundation in honor of their youngest son and brother, David, who passed away in September 2005.
The foundation awards scholarships to outstanding students who have “bounced back” from life’s obstacles and shown resilience and achievement in scholastics and being drug free.
The David B. Pedersen Foundation works closely with the Granite Education Foundation and several other amazing teachers throughout Utah, including East High School teacher, Leigh VandenAkker, who spearheads an incredible growth and learning program at East High, from which several applying students are selected for scholarships.
Over the years, the David B. Pedersen Foundation has received great support from Cariloha employees and fans who have made very generous, private contributions of time and money. All the foundation’s funds come from private donations.